Page 77 of Only Ever You

“What do you want, Adeline?”

She drops into the booth beside me.

“Oh, I’ve been reading all about it. You left your PA at the altar.” She flicks a blonde lock over her shoulder. “I’m not really surprised, although it took you a while to come to your senses.”

I set my jaw and glare. “What do you mean?”

Adeline places her hand on my forearm and smiles.

A chill runs down my spine.

“Someone like her would never be with someone like you. Not for long.”

“Why would you think that?”

She throws back her head and laughs.

I assume it’s supposed to be attractive. But I’ve seen the nasty side of this woman and it’s true that when your inner ugly is exposed, it dampens the effect of the outer beauty.

“You must have been so bored with her. And clearly you didn’t like her at the end—why else would you dump her that way?”

My stomach churns. Pippa lied to me—she kept something important from me that she knew would be devastating. But she didn’t deserve what I did to her.

“You have no clue what you’re talking about. Pippa’s the most amazing woman I’ve ever met. I was never bored with her.” My lips curl into a cruel smile. “You, on the other hand—I can imagine being bored with you because you’re so one dimensional.”

Her expression tightens.

“I don’t even know why you’re still throwing yourself at me. I’ve made it really clear I’m not interested. I did that well before Pippa came back into my life. What is your problem? Do you have no pride?”

She drops her hand, her expression stone now. All the laughter has gone from her eyes. “I thought?—”

“No, you didn’t think. You barrelled in here half-cocked and thought you knew how I felt. So, here’s how I really feel. You are nothing compared to Pippa. She has more love in her than you will ever understand. She’s smart and she’s fun and she’s a good person.”

My stomach twists at my own words. I mean every single one.

I will love Pippa Chapman until my dying day—even if I can’t be with her.

Even though I’ve broken her heart.

“And, Adeline. If you use that photo you just took to hurt her, I will end your career. Got me?”

Her eyes widen and she nods.

I’m not sure I could, but I can sure as shit do my best to make sure she gets no more work back home.

I take another drag of my drink and sigh.

What the hell am I doing?

I don’t really know.

I’m still angry when I get back to the hotel, and I take my frustration out on the minibar.

In a week’s time, we were scheduled to go to Italy. Pippa wanted to see the Colosseum and the Trevi Fountain. I’ll take photos of them and maybe she’ll think I’m doing fine.

The thought of her moving on without me makes me sick to my stomach, but I’m not sure how I can make things work after finding out she lied to me. Maybe she’s better off with someone who’s not as fucked up as I am.

Maybe Mallory was right when she said I wasn’t good at relationships.

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